Chapter 24

Richard’s POV

I wasn’t just losing her. I was being made a fool of, and that was worse. The thought of Lena turning against me, with him, made my blood boil. She was mine—my wife, my possession—and Tyler had no right to be anywhere near her. Every second they spent together was an insult, a betrayal.

Luna could talk all she wanted about patience, but I didn’t have any left. No more waiting for her little games to work. No more trying to control Lena through silence and subtlety. I was done playing nice.

As I stormed down the hallway, I felt the fury bubbling up, ready to boil over. The time for manipulation was over. If Lena didn’t fear me, I’d make her fear me.

I found Luna in the sitting room, sipping wine like she had no care in the world. Seeing her so relaxed, while everything was falling apart, ignited a fire in me I couldn’t control.

“You said you’d handle it,” I growled, slamming the door behind me.

Luna looked up, not even flinching at the anger in my voice. “And I told you, Richard, these things take time.”

“Time?” I barked, stepping closer, towering over her. “We don’t have time. She’s slipping away, Luna. I’m losing her—because of you and your pathetic little games!”

Her smile faded as she set the glass down, standing up to face me. “I’m not the one losing control, Richard. That’s all you.”

Something snapped inside me. I grabbed her wrist, pulling her close, my voice low and venomous. “You don’t get to mock me. You think you’re clever, playing both sides? Don’t forget, Luna, you’re nothing without me. If I wanted to, I could ruin you in seconds. So don’t stand there pretending you have the upper hand.”

For a second, I saw a flicker of fear in her eyes, and it pleased me. I liked when people feared me. It was how the world was supposed to work. Lena used to be afraid of me, and that fear kept her in line. But now, she had Tyler whispering in her ear, feeding her lies. She thought she was safe.

“I’m going to end this,” I said, letting go of Luna and stepping back. “Tyler has no place in this. I’ll deal with him myself.”

“You think you can just make him disappear?” Luna smirked, rubbing her wrist where I’d gripped her. “He’s not as easy to get rid of as you think.”

“I don’t need him to disappear,” I said coldly. “I just need Lena to know what happens when you try to take something from me. I’ll ruin him. I’ll make sure he loses everything. His career, his reputation... hell, I’ll even make his friends turn on him. And then I’ll make Lena watch.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “And you think that will make her come running back to you? Richard, you’re delusional.”

“I don’t care if she comes back willingly. She doesn’t have to love me. She just needs to know there’s no escape.”

Luna shook her head, her smirk returning. “You really are cruel, Richard. But I suppose that’s what makes you so... effective.”

I didn’t answer. I was done with her for now. Luna had served her purpose, and now it was my turn to act. I would crush Tyler. And once he was out of the way, Lena wouldn’t have a choice. She would stay with me, where she belonged.

The next day, I put my plan in motion. I had spies everywhere, people willing to do my bidding for the right price. I made calls, ensuring that every move Lena and Tyler made would be watched, every conversation monitored. They wouldn’t be able to breathe without me knowing.

As I hung up the phone, I allowed myself a small, satisfied smile. Tyler thought he could protect her, but I was always ten steps ahead. He didn’t know the depths I was willing to go to keep what was mine. And Lena... well, she would learn that soon enough.

Later that evening, I caught a glimpse of them again. Tyler and Lena, together, sitting too close, talking too quietly. I stood back, hidden in the shadows, watching them through the glass of the café window. Lena’s face was tight with worry, her hands shaking slightly as she spoke to him. And Tyler... he had that stupid look of concern on his face, like he could somehow save her.

He couldn’t.

They both thought they were untouchable, that they could plot against me and get away with it. But they were wrong. Very wrong.

“Enjoy your time, Tyler,” I muttered under my breath, watching as Lena reached out to touch his hand. “Because soon, I’ll destroy everything you care about. And I’ll make sure you know exactly who did it.”

As I turned away, the rage burned hotter, more intense. I wouldn’t just make Tyler disappear. I’d tear his life apart, piece by piece, until there was nothing left.

And then, I’d turn my attention back to Lena.

She’d see that running wasn’t an option. And when she finally realized that, when she was completely broken, she’d come back to me. She always would.

I climbed into my car, my fists clenched around the steering wheel. There was no turning back now. Lena had defied me for the last time, and Tyler... well, Tyler wouldn’t be an issue for much longer.

This wasn’t just about control anymore. It was about punishment. And I was going to enjoy every second of it.

As I sat in the car, the engine idling beneath me, I replayed the image of Lena and Tyler over and over in my mind. The way she had leaned in, whispered something to him, her eyes soft in a way they never were with me anymore. It gnawed at me, making my blood boil. How dare she?

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles white. This wasn’t just about control anymore. It was about reminding her—reminding both of them—that no one, not even Tyler, could take away what was mine.

I had already made calls, planted the right people in the right places. Soon, every aspect of Tyler’s life would unravel, piece by piece. His career, his friends, his reputation—everything he thought he had built would crumble, and I’d make sure he knew why. There wouldn’t be any traces leading back to me, of course. I wasn’t stupid. But he’d know. He’d feel it.

And Lena? She’d watch it all happen. She’d see what happened to people who crossed me, who thought they could outsmart me. Tyler would be the example, and she’d finally understand that resistance was futile.

I stared through the windshield, my mind buzzing with the possibilities. There were so many ways to break a man like Tyler. All I had to do was pick one.

The next day, I was back in my office, a fresh plan forming in my mind. I made a few more calls, each one more calculated than the last. Every piece had to fall into place perfectly. Tyler wouldn’t see it coming.

The first step was to plant rumors—subtle at first, nothing too aggressive. The kind of rumors that make people second-guess someone they once trusted. I had people in the company, people willing to do what was necessary, and soon whispers would start. Tyler wouldn’t know where they came from or why people were suddenly treating him differently.

After that, it would only be a matter of time before his reputation started to crumble. A wrong word here, a misunderstood gesture there. His colleagues would begin to question him. And the best part? He wouldn’t have a clue why it was happening.

I leaned back in my chair, satisfaction settling in. Lena might have thought Tyler could save her, but she was wrong. No one could save her from me.

\---

Laterq that afternoon, Luna appeared at my door again, this time without that infuriating smirk. She could sense the shift, that something darker was brewing inside me. For once, she seemed unsure of herself.

“I heard you’re stepping things up,” she said, walking in without waiting for an invitation.

I didn’t bother looking up from my paperwork. “I told you. I’m handling it.”

“And by handling it, you mean you’re going to destroy Tyler’s life?” Her voice was smooth, but there was a hint of something—concern, maybe.

“That’s exactly what I mean,” I said coldly. “It’s time he learns his place. And so does Lena.”

Luna chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “You’re more vicious than I gave you credit for.”

I finally looked up, meeting her gaze with icy calm. “I don’t care what you think of me, Luna. This isn’t about being vicious. It’s about control. You’ve never understood that.”

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Control? You think ruining Tyler will bring Lena back to you? She hates you, Richard.”

I stood up slowly, walking around my desk until I was face to face with her. “Hate is still a form of control, Luna. Love, hate, fear—it doesn’t matter. As long as she’s thinking about me, as long as I’m the one affecting her decisions, I’ve won.”

Luna didn’t respond right away, and for a moment, I could see her weighing her options, calculating the next move in whatever game she was playing.

“So, what’s next?” she finally asked, folding her arms.

“Next?” I smiled darkly. “Next, Tyler’s life falls apart. Then Lena will be alone, with no one left to save her. And after that... after that, she’ll have no choice but to crawl back to me.”

Luna shook her head, but there was admiration in her eyes. “You really are heartless, aren’t you?”

I shrugged. “Heartless gets things done. You’d do well to remember that.”

She smirked, walking toward the door. “Oh, I do. That’s why I’ve stuck around this long.”

When she left, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. It wasn’t about being heartless, not really. It was about winning. About making sure Lena knew there was no escape, that no matter how hard she fought, she would always belong to me.